International Travel Insurance

If you’re already overseas and find yourself without cover, it’s possible to buy a policy while you’re already on the go.

But your travel insurance options could be limited, and you might need to meet certain eligibility requirements. For example, you may need to buy it sooner rather than later, whether that’s within a few days of getting on the plane or when your other policy ran out. If you do get travel insurance when you’re already overseas, it could have a pre-set excess amount or a no-cover period, meaning you could have to wait for it to kick in.

At the end of the day, sorting out your travel insurance before you take off overseas is easier. Plus, you won’t have to worry about racking up data roaming fees trying to find an insurer.

Australia’s far enough away from a lot of countries that it makes perfect sense to try and squeeze in as many as you can in a single trip. Thankfully, travel insurers get this.

Some policies offer coverage for certain regions rather than specific countries. For instance, you could pick a European policy and have cover for France, Italy, Norway and more, all in one convenient package. Which countries fall into what regions can vary between insurers, so it’s a good idea to read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) to see if you need to look for additional cover.

Even if you’re just transiting through a country, it could be well worth your while to have it included on your policy (especially if something goes wrong mid-transit from one border to another).

As a rule of thumb, anywhere marked as a ‘Do not travel’ by Smartraveller is unlikely to be fully covered or even at all.¹Smartraveller – Travel advice explained Travelling to these places could mean your health and safety are at extremely high risk, and high risk isn’t something insurers ever like to hear about. While destinations marked as ‘Reconsider your travel’ will often be limited.

As of July 2025, parts of the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas fall into these ‘reconsider travel’ or ‘do not travel’ categories. So before you book, it’s worth checking the Smartraveller website to see if your destination is in the clear.

Some people’s idea of a holiday is days on the beach with a good book or two. For others, there needs to be a little more action involved. If adrenaline-filled adventure sounds more your speed, you could still be covered by travel insurance. You might just need to purchase extra cover, like a winter sports policy, or get used to reading the PDS like a best-selling novel.

As you’re going through the PDS, check the definition of any adventure activities listed. While it may be a tedious task, different insurers define activities differently. So you might find you’re covered for rock climbing, but free climbing could be off the cards. You’ll also need to let your insurer know what activities you’ll be doing. They aren’t your parents, but they still need to know what you’re planning on getting up to.

Of course, there are conditions to think about, too. If you ignore or break these conditions, like not wearing safety equipment or being under the influence, it means your claim could be rejected.

Delays and missed connections are frustrating. Your travel insurance could help cover any pushbacks to your trip itinerary, but there tends to be restrictions and exclusions you’ll need to get your head around first. For instance, the delays may need to be of a certain length before your cover is applicable.

The details on conditions and exclusions can differ from one provider to another. Make sure to check your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) or speak with your insurer to know the ins and outs of your policy.

COVID-19 doesn’t care about your travel plans, but your travel insurance does. You may be able to find a policy that includes cover for needing to interrupt your trip or cancel it altogether because you’ve become unwell thanks to COVID-19.